Teoría y práctica del diseño urbano para la reflexión de la ciudad contemporánea

240 Teoría y Práctica del Diseño Urbano A number of these principles have been developed into more specific guidelines and standards. Building for Life , produced by CABE in partnership with the Home Builders Federation, developed a standard for assessing new housing develop- ments and an award scheme to recognize best practice. CABE (2004) have produced guidance on preparing master plans, as a key tool in delivering better designed housing and neigh- bourhoods. The government has also identified design codes as a tool for producing better quality new development, build- ing on the design visions of master plans (CLG, 2006). Focusing on the neighbourhood rather than the individual home, the Sustainable Communities Plan (2003) set out the key requirements of a sustainable community. These include basic neighbourhood amenities and public services, and a well-integrated mix of a variety of house types and tenures to support a range of household types, ages and incomes. The most recent version of PPS3 Housing (2006) identifies high quality housing that is well-designed and built to a high standard as the government’s first policy objective: ‘Good de- sign is fundamental to the development of high quality new housing, which contributes to the creation of sustainable, mixed communities’. Reflecting the growing policy emphasis on the environ- mental and climate change agenda, the Code for Sustainable Homes published in 2006 establishes standards for the envi- ronmental performance of new homes and rates new houses on a scale of 1-6. Rating against the code became mandatory in 2008, and the target is for all new homes to achieve the highest rating by 2016. Alongside the publication of advice, good prac- tice and development standards, research has examined how design control can be more effectively implemented (Carmo- na et al ., 2003). This highlights the significance of building a better understanding of and consensus on the key features of good design across different public sector professions, in particular planning control officers and highway engineers, with the former seen as ill-prepared to intervene effectively to improve design, and the latter seen as imposing unneces- sary/ outdated requirements for roads and access that under- mine the quality of new housing development. Carmona, and others, argue for developing design skills in local planning authorities, and for consistent priority to be given to good